When I was nineteen, I discovered that I had PCOS. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is when there is a chemical imbalance, in which testosterone levels are higher than the average in the female body. The symptoms include infertility, excessive body hair growth, constant weight change, trouble losing weight, ovarian cysts, low sex drive, irregular periods, fatigue, acne, and mood changes. These are some of the symptoms that I currently struggle in my everyday life, and I always knew that it was passed down through my mom’s side of the family. Therefore, I scanned images of my mother and grandmother in their younger years and photographed images of contraceptives, bras, underwears, baby angels, self portraits and sanitary napkins, to represent and symbolize womanhood and femininity. The purpose of depicting the images of birth control in this series is due to the fact that birth control is a way to regulate periods as well as help symptoms of PCOS. Bras and underwear shown in this series represent womanhood and femininity, displaying that these articles of clothing display the importance of these body parts to women. The baby angel displayed in the series showcases fertility, but women who suffer from PCOS struggle with complications of getting pregnant. Although, the image of the girl, which is me, next to the angel statue represents hope to those who have difficulties with fertility. The self portrait is a way to display my childhood and how this condition has affected my current life. The sanitary napkins also represent the symptoms of irregular periods with those who suffer from this condition. The goal of this series is to showcase to the viewer about my personal history with PCOS, as well as spread awareness to this condition since there is no cure for it. https://www.abbigailhong.com/